Ditching-machine.



S. L. MOSER.

DHCHING MAcmNE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19. |912.

Patented May 4, 1915.

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THE MORRIS PETERS C0., PHOTU-LITHO., WASHING roN. D, C.

S. L. MOSER.

DITCHING. MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Dic. 19. 1912.

1 ,138,002. Patented May 4, 1915.

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S. L. MOSER.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPucmoN mio Dic. 19. |912.

Patented May 4, 1915.

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THE NoRRls PETERS CO.,PH01WDYLI7'HQvv WASHINGTON. D. L4

s. L. MOSER. DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I9. 19I2.

1,138,002. Patented May 4, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WVM/masa@ www f l l eNom/WM THE MORRIS PETERS C0 PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D, c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. MOSER, 0F UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO.

DITCHING-MACHINE.

Application filed December 19, 1912.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. Mosnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Upper Sandusky, in the county of Tyandot and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Ditching-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in ditching machines, and its object is to provide a machine of cheap, yet strong and efiicient construction, capable of expeditiously forming a ditch or trench for the laying of tile or for other purposes, and for closing or refilling said ditch or trench, which machine may be propelled by draft animals or by any suitable source of power.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a vehicle having Wheels with a spread sufficient to span the formed trench and excavated earth, and on this vehicle there may be mounted suitable side cutters for one or both sides of the trench, a scoop for cutting and lifting the earth or for lifting the earth after being cut, and a guide member' arranged in front of the scoop, cutter' or cutters to maintain the vehicle in the line of the trench after the initial cut. The scoop is so arranged as to discharge upon a traveling conveyer or conveyers carrying the earth to another traveling conveyer which deposits the earth to one side of the formed trench at a sufficient distance to prevent the excavated earth from falling back into the trench.

TheY invention provides means whereby the draft devices act directly upon the cutters, vehicle and associated parts irrespective of the depth of excavation, while provision is made for elevating or lowering the trench forming parts of the machine as needed, such elevating and lowering means being self locking and yet yieldable at all times to proper manipulation in either direction. Furthermore, the invention contemplates the provision of means whereby, if desired, the trench may be cut level, or at any desired inclination irrespective of the lay of the ground.

The invention also contemplates other features than those specifically mentioned, and the invention will be best understood from Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Serial No. 737,693.

a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, with the further understanding that while the drawings illustrate a form of the invention which has been put to practical use, such invention is not confined to any exact conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed and modified within such limits as do not mark a material departure from the salient features of the invention.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the ditching members raised and the filling-in devices omitted. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, parts being omitted and some higher parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. l. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a support for the scoop.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a vehicle provided with front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2, the latter being of the traction type, since, as will presently appear, these wheels are utilized for the driving of certain mechanisms. The front wheels are mounted at the ends of an axle 3 which may be a straight axle and the wheels 2 are mounted upon an axle 4 which may also be a straight axle, and these two axles are connected together by means of a reach 5 preferably placed somewhat to one side of the center longitudinal line of the vehicle. Mounted on the axle 3 near the ends thereof is an arch 6 and mounted on the axle 4 near the ends thereof is an arch 7.

Connected to the rear axle 4 near the point of connection of the arch 7 therewith are braces 8, while rising from the rear end of the reach 5 is an inclined beam 9, to which the braces 8 are attached, the inclination of the beam 9 being forward. Rising from the front portion of the reach 5 is another beam 10 inclining rearwardly, and these two beams where joining form a bearing 11 for a short shaft l2, to one end of which there is secured a hand wheel 13 preferably provided with a crank 14 for manipulation, while the other end of the shaft is formed into or carries a disk 15, from which on opposite sides of the center project pins 16, there being two such pins. Also mounted on the shaft 12 as a pivot is a hub 17 from one side of which there projects an arm 18 connected by a spring 19 to an upright 20 connected at the lower end to the reach 5, while from the opposite side of the hub 17 there projects a curved arm 21 which is returned on itself in spaced relation to the hub and carries a roller 22, the purpose of which will presently be described.

Carried by the reach 5 is a bar 23 projecting upwardly and forwardly over the arch 6 and beyond the same, and at its upper end this bar is connected by a link or brace 24. to the beams 9 and 10. The bar 23 is also connected to the beam 10 where crossing the same. The upper end of the bar 23 carries one end of a chain 25, which at the other end carries a whiffletree 26 in turn carrying swingle trees 27 to which draft animals may be attached. No attempt is made to show accommodations for any particular number of draft animals, but it may be stated that in the machine as actually used six draft animals have been employed. Of course, other motive power than draft animals may be utilized, and it will be linderstood that any suitable means whereby the machine may be caused to travel either when in operation for ditching, or when being transported may be used. There is also provided a pole 28 connected by suitable braces 29 to the axle 3, the whiflletree 26 not being carried by the pole, but by the chain 25. The whiflietree connects by a link or clevis 26Zt to an elongated bar 27a having a longitudinal series of perforations 28a. One end of the bar is connected by a chain 29a to the reach 5 and the other end of the bar is connected in a manner and to devices hereinafter described.

The pins 16 engage in suitably spaced sockets 30 in a bar 31 preferably of angle material, such angle steel, but it will be understood that other materials and other constructions may be employed so long as the functions of the bar 31 are realized. This bar is customarily set at a slight rearward inclination with the sockets 30 directed rearwardly and slightly downward, while the roller engages one web of the bar 31 to hold the bar against one or the other or both pins 16, the spring 19 permitting a yielding of the bar 31 as the shaft 12 is turned, under the eccentric action of the pins 16, and, moreover, the spring tends to maintain the bar 31 in engagement with the pins substantially coinciding in position with the length of the bar 31, so that the pins norl mally engage two successive notches, thereby holding the shaft 12 against accidental turning, and the pins 16 under these conditions support the bar 31 against movement in either direction. However, the bar 31 readily yields on the designed turning of the shaft 12, so that the bar may be moved up or down as the operator may desire, all for a purpose to be described. The lower end of the bar 31, this bar being nearly upright, is made fast to a cross piece Secured to the front end of the cross piece 32 is a frame made up of two spaced members 33, 34 and connecting pieces 35 near the ends of the members 33 and 34. The member 33 is made fast to the front end of crosspiece 32 by a strap 36 or in any other suitable manner, and extending from the upper end of the member 33 to the cross piece 32 is a brace 37. The member 33 extends below the lower connecting piece 35 and there sustains a guide 38 of substantially U-shaped cross section with the front end 39 upturned for a distance. This guide 38 is made rigidly fast to the upright 33 of the frame, so as to maintain a fixed relation thereto. Embracing the upright member 34 of the frame is a yoke 40 carrying at one end a roller 41 in position to engage behind the upright 34, while the front end of the yoke 40 is connected by a chain 42 to the end of the bar 27a remote from that connected to the reach 5, whereby the draft animals or other propelling means may have direct connection to the frame 34 or be directly connected to reach or connected to both frame 34 and reach 5 in such proportion as may be desired by the operator. The yoke 40 and the roller 41 provide a connection between the upright 34 and the draft means which is readily slidable along the upright 34 to provide for adjustments.

Mounted in the cross piece 32 are cutter blades 43, 44 secured at the ends of respective shanks 45, 46, in turn held to the cross piece by clips 47, in which the shanks may be adjusted longitudinally for the purpose of properly setting them. These cutters are spaced apart lengthwise of the machine, and also crosswise thereof, the crosswise spacing determining the width of the trench to be excavated, while the lengthwise spacing prevents any clogging of earth between the cutters as would be liable to occur if the cutters were side by side. At the option of the operator or under certain conditions of the soil one or both cutters may be removed.

The shank 46 also serves as a support for the corresponding end of an endless conveyer 48, which conveyer is made up of side beams 49 each composed of two parts joined together intermediately by bolts 50 with one of t-he side members having slots 51 traversed by 'the bolts so that these side members may be adjusted to take up slack in the conveyer, the adjustment being brought about by means of a screw 52 carried by one part of the conveyer and passing through a threaded eye 53 in the other part of the conveyer, so that upon turning the screw t-he effective length of the side members is elongated or shortened as desired. The conveyer side members '-19 are mounted upon the axle 4 as a pivot and extend somewhat to the rear of this axle. .lournaled in the front and rear ends of the conveyer are shafts 5i, 55, respectively, carrying sprocket wheels 56, 57, respectively, over which travel sprocket chains 5S, the side members 49 carrying supporting rollers 59 for the upper runs of the sprocket chains, but obviously said conveyer may be propelled by one sprocket chain running over one sprocket wheel. The shaft 55 at one end carries a gear wheel 60 in mesh with another gear wheel 61 upon the axle 4, and provision may be made, and in the operative machine is made, for preventing the rotation of the gear wheel (il when it is desired to transport the machine from place to place. This may be brought about by providing suitable clutch mechanism for the hubs of the wheels 2, and as such mechanism may be of common form the ratchet mechanism is merely indicated at 62 in Figs. 2 and 6, without any attempt to show any particular structure.

The sprocket chain or chains carry closely associated buckets 63 which may be in the form of metal strips with angle ends 64, whereby the conveyer is of channel form along its working run, While side strips 65, made fast to the side members 49 may be used to form guides between which the active run of the conveyer may travel. Mounted at the front of the conveyer is a scoop G6 which may be carried by a support 67. The scoop is U-shaped or approximately semi-circular in cross-section and near the upper end at 66 is pivoted to the support 67, while it is connecte-d at a lower point to the support by a pin 67a passed through a laterally extended slot (i7b in the support 67 to permit shifting action and thereby cutting clearance and variable width of trench.

By arranging the scoop at a lateral angle with respect to the line of tavel the dirt is cut from one side of the trench and caused to turn over in the scoop as a more or less solid mass, thus greatly reducing the friction of the dirt on the scoop on its way to the conveyer. This also produces clearance for the scoop and permits considerable variation in the width of the trench, for in one direction of travel one side of the trench may be cut away and on the return travel of the vehicle the other side of the trench may be cut away because of the lateral inclination of the scoop to the line of travel. A brace 68 connects the front cutter 43 and the front part of the scoop 66 and the support G7 has arms 68a pivotally supported on the shaft 54. The scoop therefore maintains its proper relation to the other parts for various depths of trench.

Reaiwvard extensions 70 of the conveyer frame support another conveyor 7l which may be like the conveyer 48, but is at a lower level and its runs move transversely of the direction of travel of the rst conveyer and of the machine. The conveyer structure is caused to travel by means of meshing bevel pinions 72, one of which is fast to the shaft 55, and in addition to these bevel pinions by means of a sprocket chain connection 73 therefrom to the appropriate end of the conveyer 7l. This last named conveyer is provided with a rear guard plate 7l of a height to prevent spilling of earth at the rear of the machine.

Erected on the arch 7 are two associated parallel guide strips 75 for a rod 7G having a front portion 77 connected to the upper end of the bar 3l, and this rod by appropriate bending carried downward and then rearwardly and again downwardly terminating in a downwardly directed portion 78 extending to the rear of the guard 7l and at its lower end upfturned, as indicated at 79, so that it may travel along a trench bottom without such engagement therewith as would be destructive. The upper end 77 of the rod 76 carries a level 80. It will be observed that tlie spacing of the cutters i3 and 4l is substantially that or slightly greater than the width of the conveyer, while the scoop GG is approximately that of the width of the conveyer, so that the cutters will enter the ground an appropriate distance and sever the portion of the earth between them from that outside of them, which earth will then be engaged by the scoop and elevated to the conveyer, traveling along the latterl until ultimately discharged upon the transverse conveyer 7l to be in turn discharged from the latter.

Suppose that the vehicle is properly supplied with propelling power either in the form of draft animals or otherwise, the cutters are adjusted by means of the manipulating wheel 13 to enter the ground an approi'iriate distance, say, about six inches, and the scoop G6 immediately following these cutters engages the cut earth by its forward end which may be slightly upturned with respect to the length of the scoop, severing the earth from that underlying it and elevating the severed earth between the cutters, the rear cutter trimming off the earth as it is elevated by the scoop. The earth thus dislodged is directed to the upper run of the conveyer 4S and this conveyer being actuated by the gearing connection with the rear axle and rear wheels carries the earth to the rear of the machine Where it is deposited upon the cross conveyer 71, and the latter deposits the earth at one side of the already formed trench, the wheels of the vehicle being appropriately spaced to avoid interference with the trench or earth piled alongside thereof. In practice the` wheels have a spread of about ten feet. As this operation progresses resistance to the cutters and scoop is brought to bear directly upon the draft animals through the whitfletree, and this connection with the frame in turn directly connected to the cutters and scoop, so that the body of the vehicle is not subjected to suchy strains.

After a suitcient length of trench has been excavated the vehicle may be turned around, the cutters and scoop dropped an appropriate distance, say, six inches or more, and then the vehicle is drawn over the same ground in the opposite direction, but now the guide 3S will enter the trench already formed and serve to maintain the machine in line with the trench.

Each time the machine starts anew along the trench, the cutters, the guide and the front of the con veyer with the scoop thereon are appropriately lowered by the turning of the hand wheel 1&3. this being accomplished with great ease and without danger of escape of the bar 31 from engagement with the pins 1G. In order that the hand wheel may be appropriately manipulated it is customary to provide a platform upon which the operator may stand and in the drawings a platform is indicated in Fig. 2 in dotted lines at 81.

It is sometimes expedient to have the trench level, even though the ground may vary somewhat, and to bring this about the operator has but to watch the level 80 and manipulate the hand wheel 13 and the end 79 of the rod 7G and the guide 38 will coact to maintain the two members at the bottom of the trench, while the end controlled by the wheel 13 may be raised or lowered as needed to maintain the level S0 in its proper condition. ly thus raising or lowering the front end of the portion of the device carrying the cutters. the depth of cut may be varied to maintain the trench approximately level irrespective of. variations in the ground over which the machine travels. In like manner on level ground a trench of gradually increasing depth or of gradually lessening depth may be formed.

The depth to which a ditch may be excavated will depend upon the length of the bar 31 which may be termed a rack bar, and this bar should be long enough so that when the machine is to be transported those parts which engage the ground in the operation of forming thel ditch may be elevated to such an extent above the surface of the ground as to be in non-interfering relation thereto.

What is claimed is 1. In a machine for the purpose described, a vehicle, trench forming devices adjustably mounted on the vehicle for various depths of cut, and draft means connected to both the vehicle and trench forming devices and automatically adjustable on the latter, the connecting devices being variable as to the proportionate draft on said trench forming devices and vehicle.

Q. In a machine for the purpose described, a vehicle, trench forming devices adjustably mounted on the vehicle for various depths of cut, draft means having iieXible connections to both the vehicle and the trench forming devices and automatically adjustable on the latter, and a support for the draft means mounted on the vehicle, the connecting devices being variable as to the proportionate draft on said trench forming devices and vehicle.

3. In a machine for the purpose described, a vehicle, trench forming devices carried thereby and adjustable thereon for variable depth of cut, and draft means having connections to both the trench forming devices and the vehicle and variable as to the proportionate draft on said device and vehicle at will, the connections between the draft means and the trench forming devices being automatically adjustable along the latter and the draft means being provided with supporting means attached to the vehicle for holding the draft means against participation in adjustments of the trench forming devices.

4. In a machine for the purpose described, a vehicle, trench forming devices carried thereby and adjustable thereon for producing different depths of trench, a draft means, supporting devices for the draft means carried by the vehicle, draft connections between the draft means and the vehicle, and freely slidable connections between the draft means and the trench forming devices, the connections between the draft means and the trench forming devices and vehicle being constructed for the application of power in such proportions as may be desired and the supporting devices for the draft means being located out of the line of draft.

5. In a machine for the purpose described, a scoop for excavating a trench, and cutting means out of the path of the scoop, said cutting means being displaced in the direction of travel of the machine one forward of and the other to the rear of the front end of the scoop.

(l. In a machine for the purpose described, a rearwardly inclined conveyer, and a scoopshaped trench-forming device provided With an earth-entering front edge having upstanding side portions, said trench-forming device being pivotally mounted at its rear end at the front end of the conveyer to admit of lateral shifting of the earth-entering end of the trench-forming device with respect to the direction of travel to bring one of the upstanding side portions of the front edge into engagement with a side of the trench to provide for clearance and variable width of trench.

7. In a machine for the purpose described, a vehicle, a conveyer mounted thereon, a scoop at the front end of the conveyer and Shaped to form a trench in the ground and deliver excavated earth to the conveyer, and cutters out of the path of the scoop for forming the sides of the trench, said cutters being located one forward of the scoop and the other to the rear of the front end of the scoop.

8. In a machine for the purpose described, a conveyer, a trench excavating scoop having a forward earth-entering active end, and cutters on opposite sides of the path of the scoop, said scoop being located in front of the conveyer to deliver thereon and pivotally mounted with reference to the conveyer, said pivotal mounting being at the rear portion of the scoop to admit of lateral shifting of the active end of. said scoop with respect to the direction of travel to provide for clearance and variable width of trench.

9. In a machine for the purpose described, a vehicle, a conveyer pivotally mounted at the rear of the vehicle and extending forwardly, an excavating scoop at the front of the conveyer, cutters out of the path of the scoop and displaced one with reference to the other in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a support for one of said cutters also forming a support for the forward end of the conveyer and the scoop being pivotally mounted between the last-named cutter and the conveyer and carried thereby, a supporting carrier for and common to the cutters, scoop and conveyer, a guide shoe also supported by the carrier and arranged in front of the scoop, and means for adjusting the carrier together with the guide shoe, cutters, scoop and front end of the conveyer in an up and down direction with reference to the ground.

10. In a machine for the purpose described, a vehicle, a trench forming device, a carrier therefor mounted on the vehicle, means for adjusting the carrier toward and from the surface of the ground, a guide member on the adjusting means having one end in position to enter a formed trench, and a level carried by the guide member.

11. In a machine for the purpose described, a vehicle, trench forming devices thereon, means for adjusting the trench forming devices for the cutting of a trench, a guide member on the adjusting means having one end in position to enter a formed trench at the rear of the vehicle, and a level indicating means carried by the guide member.

12. In a machine for the purpose described, trench forming devices, means for adjusting the trench forming devices for the cutting of a trench, and level indicating means participating in the adjustments of the trench forming devices and provided with means for engaging in the formed trench.

13. In a machine for the purpose described, an elongated rearwardly inclined conveyer disposed in the line of travel, and a scoop-shaped trench-forming device of curved cross-section provided with an earthentering front edge having upstanding side portions, said trench-forming device eX- tending rearwardly from its front edge at a rising angle with the rear end disposed above and in operative relation to the front end of the conveyer to deposit excavated earth thereon, the trench-forming scoop being mounted for movement into lateral angular relation to the line of travel, whereby the trench-forming excavating device may be arranged to cut with one of its upstanding sides of its front edge to produce clearance and to turn over the earth cut away in the course of its travel toward the conveyer.

14. In a machine for the purpose described, an elongated rearwardly inclined conveyer mounted on the machine with its longitudinal center line in the line of travel of the machine, and a scoop-shaped earthexcavating device at the forward or receiving end of the conveyer and disposed with relation to the conveyer at a rearwardly rising angle into delivering position to the receiving end of the conveyer, said scoopshaped device being pivotally mounted at its rear end at the front end of the inclined conveyer and having an earth-entering front edge provided with upstanding side portions, whereby the scoop-shaped device may be laterally shifted to bring its longitudinal center line into lateral angular relation to the longitudinal center line of the conveyer to cause one of the upstanding sides of the earth-entering front edge of the scoop to cut into the corresponding side of the wall of the trench for producing clearance and variable width of trench.

15. In a machine for the purpose described, an elongated rearwardly inclined conveyer having its longitudinal center line arranged in the line of travel of the machine, means for raising and lowering the forward end of the conveyer, and a trenchforming excavating device at the forward or receiving end of the conveyer and participating in the rising and lowering movement thereof, Said excavating device being at a lateral angle to the line of travel and proas my own, I have hereto aalxed my signavvided Withan earth-entering front edge uren the presence of tWo Witnesses. having upstan'dng side portions t0 engage corresponding side Walls of the trenchV to o SAMUEL L. MOSER. 5 provide for clearance and Avariable Wdth of Witnesses:

trench. Y i A. F; SGHOENBERGER,

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing C. F; SMITH.

CopAies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washigton; D. 0; 

